COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Thursday, February 04, 2016

MOTION NO.216

MOTION: Councillor P. Gogarty

Motion: Cllr P. Gogarty Cllr L. O’Toole, Cllr G. O’Connell

"Amend 11.6.1 Water management section (iii) Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) to read:

In general all new developments will be required to incorporate Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS). Sustainable Drainage Systems include devices such as swales, permeable pavements, filter drains, storage ponds, constructed wetlands, soakways and green roofs. In some exceptional cases and at the discretion of the Planning Authority, where it is demonstrated that SuDS devices are not feasible, approval may be given to install underground attenuation tanks or enlarged pipes in conjunction with other devices to achieve the required water quality. Such alternative measures will only be considered as a last resort.

All new commercial, industrial and public buildings shall be required to incorporate a green roof into their development.

Watercourses should remain open in their natural valley and culverting shall be confined to road crossings. In exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Planning Authority, approval may be given to install a culvert within a development where it is demonstrated that this is the most appropriate design response based on site specific constraints/circumstances."

Motion: Cllr P. Gogarty Cllr L. O’Toole, Cllr G. O’Connell

REPORT:

The Motion includes text already in the Draft Plan, apart from 

All new commercial, industrial and public buildings shall be required to incorporate a green roof into their development.

The inclusion of green roofs in new developments can make significant contributions to managing and draining surface water in an environmentally friendly way, and as part of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS). 

In this regard Green Infrastructure (G) Policy  5 – Objective 2 of the Draft Plan, states:

‘to promote the provision of Green Roofs and/or Living Walls in developments where expansive roofs are proposed such as industrial, retail and civic developments. 

Furthermore, having regard to Development Management implementation standards, Section 11.6.1 (iii) states that:

‘in general all new developments will be required to incorporate Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS)’.

Green roofs are listed in this section as devices that can be included in a Sustainable Urban Drainage System.  As such it is considered that the Draft Plan adequately addresses the opportunities for the inclusion of green roofs in new buildings in South Dublin County.

In consideration of the motion proposal to ensure that all new commercial, industrial and public buildings include green roofs, such a mandatory requirement would increase the cost of constructing commercial development, and as such would place South Dublin County at a competitive disadvantage in attracting and generating employment growth across the County.

Recommendation
It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.